N O W A Y O U T
RETURN OF THE PHANTASM
CHAPTER 1:
"It's all there. Seven hundred thousand. You can check it yourself," Leone murmured. His employer didn't look so sure. Frankie Ciprino ran his fingers through the cash, and smelled the green paper just for kicks. Looks like the real deal. Feels like the real deal. Hell, it smells like the real deal. But this wasn't the first time he'd dealt with Guido Leone, and this certainly wasn't the first time Leone had tried to put something over on someone. But if he couldn't tell, there weren't many people who could.
Ciprino brought one of the bills up to the light and examined it. What the hell...
"All right Leone. Drive to the Diner on third. Big diner, with a fluorescent sign -a good place- try the chili. There should be a car there, a blue ford. In the trunk is everything you asked for. Keep the car." Ciprino gave in, slowly explaining the situation. Leone seemed like a great weight was released from his shoulders, and sighed before beginning to shake his head rapidly.
"Thanks, thanks so much Mr. Ciprino. I really appreciate it, you don't know how much I..." Guido trailed off as he shook Ciprino's hand. In it was the key to the car. The key was transferred during the shake.
"Thanks. Really thanks."
"This better not come back to bite me in the ass kid!" Ciprino snarled, as Leone made his way to the door.
"It won't, I swear," the kid shouted as he exited the door. What in god's name does a kid like that need with those kinds of weapons? Ciprino thought to himself. A sale is a sale, but something just didn't seem right about this kid. He strolled over to his desk and sat his obese backside into his leather chair. He pressed the red button under his desk. Within moments two of his men came in through a different door. They were well dressed, in dark back suits, black ties, and their black hair was slicked back with grease. Dark sunglasses hid their eyes.
"Follow Leone. I want to see what this kid's up too." Ciprino grunted. The two men nodded, and headed out the door Leone had exited. What could he possibly be up to?
* * * * *
Nightwing glared down, waiting for the guy to come out. It was icy cold in Gotham, the chilly breeze blowing through the air. Nightwing didn't move though. He just stared in the direction of the factory, waiting for something to happen. Completely still. He'd learned how to do that a long time ago. Three months he'd been following this guy. Collecting powerful arms all over the city. Very strange. He was just collecting them and storing them. But there was something else. And that's why he needed to be followed. He must be storing up these weapons for some kind of a delivery. The creaky brown door on the north side of the factory swung open with a bang. Leone looked around suspiciously, his beady eyes darting to and fro, making sure no one was watching him. Three months now. Well at least it means I'm doing a good job, Nightwing thought to himself.
Leone walked over to his junky blue Nissan Sentra and opened the passenger door, sliding in.
"An arms deal going down?" came a familiar female voice from behind him.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Nightwing snapped hostilely. Great. This was all I need, he thought to himself. Batgirl walked up next to him and stared down at Leone's car. Through the tinted window it was still obvious he was waiting for the heat to warm up. Good luck in that car buddy, Nightwing thought again. He kept his thoughts on the situation, trying to ignore Babs. What was she doing here?
"Well bit my head off, why don't you?" she snapped angrily. "Believe me, hanging out with you isn't my ideal idea of a Friday night either. I'm doing Bruce a favor," she continued to explain. He didn't respond. He was ignoring her. She did likewise, and stared down at the car. It revved up and took off, tires screeching into the night. Nightwing stood up and prepared his "wings".
"Just stay out of my way," he snarled, as he leapt off, into the darkness, gliding down to the street bellow. Batgirl readied a batgrapple, and fired it off, flying into the night herself.
* * * * *
"I'm bored," Robin muttered as he kicked his legs into the air. Batman didn't move.
"Hopefully I don't need to remind you that a lack of criminal activity is a good thing," Batman said darkly.
"Then let's go home. There's some good TV on tonight," Robin remarked. Batman didn't buy it.
"Not with the Joker on the loose."
"He's not going to make his move yet," Robin insisted. But he certainly wasn't going to convince Batman otherwise. He stood up and walked across the ledge, looking down at the busy cars going about their business. Robin spat over the edge, and watched carefully to see if he hit anyone. Rats. He turned to Batman.
"Hey, you think if I drop a penny it might kill someone down there?" Robin questioned. Batman didn't move. "Geez, I'm just joking man. You really should loosen up a little," Robin murmured more to himself then to anyone. We walked back over to Batman.
"You think Nightwing will be mad that you sent Barb over to check out that guy he's been watching?"
"I don't really care if Nightwing is mad," Batman responded coldly. Robin nodded his head in understanding and looked down at the street again. He'd known Batman for a few years now, but he still didn't really know him at all. He looked back up and studied Batman's face, mostly hidden by his dark cowl. What was really scary was that this wasn't really his alter ego. This was his identity.
* * * * *
Leone looked in his rear-view mirror for the twelfth time. Crap. They were following him. He pressed his foot on the gas just a little harder and cut in front of the car ahead of him. Definitely following him. He sped up, and watched carefully as the two black cars with smoked mirrors did likewise. Crap. He headed up and turned right onto Third Street. He glanced in the rear view mirror, and watched as the two cars did the same thing. Crap.
His forehead glistened with a newly formed sweat, which he nervously mopped with a rag. What did they want? Did Ciprino just want to know what he wanted the guns for...? Or was he sending them to take the guns back. Either way this was bad. Very, very bad. He looked out through the windshield, and pulled into the large parking lot of the diner. His car and the ford were the only ones within a mile. He pulled up right next to it, and opened the door slowly, observing the two cars. They were careful not to pull into the lot after him. One of them stopped into the deli parking lot across the street. The other drove by slowly.
Oh god, what should I do? He walked over to the Ford, and fumbled with the key Ciprino had given him before popping open the trunk. The rifles- the explosives, all there. Everything seemed to be in order. Certainly nothing alarming. He eyed one of the rifles thoughtfully. There was no one around... Maybe he could make sure that these guys didn't interfere after all...
* * * * *
Nightwing watched as the guy glanced back and forth between the trunk and the cars across the street.
"Oh no. He's going to try and kill them," Nightwing murmured to himself. He knew Barbara was thinking the same thing, just by the look on her face. He raised himself out of his sitting position as Leone lifted the AK-47 out of the trunk and opened fire at the first of the cars. It stopped dead in its tracks with a small screech before the driver emptied out of the car, and toting a gun of his own, returned fire. The bullets exploded through the crisp, dead night, tearing across the street. Nightwing moved quickly.
He ripped through the air feet first. The thug looked up seconds to late, because with a loud crack, Nightwing's kick sent him to the ground, out cold. Nightwing looked over to the second car, where the second thug was out cold also, Batgirl sinking into the shadows. He turned his full attention to Leone, who stood in a state of shock.
"It's okay. I know you were just defending yourself," Nightwing lied as he called across the street, sinking into the shadows himself. If I didn't think he were part of something much bigger, I'd take pleasure in beating him to a pulp. Nightwing disappeared into the shadows and mounted his bike as he watched a confused Leone step into the car. Great. Just great. Could have been worse though, he could have opened fire on you, Nightwing thought to himself. He wished Barb would have stayed away, but in this situation he didn't mind... He waited for Leone to pull out of the parking lot before quietly following at a distance. Damn.
* * * * *
The Clown Prince of Crime pranced across the floor of the abandoned apartment building with his typical wide ruby red grin stretched across his face. He was in a good mood. The Joker made his way over to his desk and looked over his latest plan. It was perfect. From every aspect. It would work, he knew it would. He'd studied Batman's mind. He knew the way he thought, how he'd react, and how he went about dealing with situations just like this. There was no conceivable way this could fail.
Except that it did. Last week. Joker grabbed the plans and tore them to shreds with a twisted frown, tossing the pieces all about him. Well at least he was still free. That was always a perk.
"Oh Puddin'!" came Harley Quinn from the other room in her sexiest voice. Joker ignored her with a contorted frown as he looked over his things. "Puddin', I have a surprise for you!" she continued to call.
"And what would that be, sweetums?" he answered in an unenthusiastic monotone as he looked through his blueprints. Batman, always Batman, he thought to himself. Another caper he'd walked away from was another caper Joker had failed. And to make matters worse, he was short on cash. Not enough to carry out any more lame plans that Batman would foil... He needed something fresh, something original, and something that would make old Batsy think about it... If he survived at all...
"Puddin', how about you come in here and have an ice cream sundae?" Harley teased with a giggle. Joker answered without shifting his train of thought.
"Not now poo, I'm busy," he remarked.
"Oh, but Puddin' I got all gooey for nothing!" Harley called from the other room, with more than a hint of disappointment. Joker ignored her. He needed to get inside Batman's head. Play some mind games and mess him up, and just when he wasn't expecting in...
Harley came back into the room wearing a nightie. She looked bummed out, but the Joker didn't notice. He didn't look up from his desk. Harley hated it when he was all wrapped up in plotting things. He was no fun. She danced around in front of his desk, and knocked one of his papers off on purpose. He bent over to pick it up, hoping to get a response. She came up with the paper gleefully. No response. She began to hop up and down, jiggling her breasts, hoping to get a response. No reaction. She frowned and looked down at the papers he was looking at. It seemed so uninteresting. But wait... What was that? She picked up one of the papers on the desk and studied it carefully.
"What's this Mistah Jay?" she asked curiously. Joker looked up angrily and snatched the paper away.
"Give me that!" he snarled. He looked the paper over, and suddenly a strange look came over his face, one Harley had never seen before.
"Did you think I forgot? Yeah, right. I'm back, and you're first on my list. -PHANTASM"
RETURN OF THE PHANTASM
CHAPTER 1:
"It's all there. Seven hundred thousand. You can check it yourself," Leone murmured. His employer didn't look so sure. Frankie Ciprino ran his fingers through the cash, and smelled the green paper just for kicks. Looks like the real deal. Feels like the real deal. Hell, it smells like the real deal. But this wasn't the first time he'd dealt with Guido Leone, and this certainly wasn't the first time Leone had tried to put something over on someone. But if he couldn't tell, there weren't many people who could.
Ciprino brought one of the bills up to the light and examined it. What the hell...
"All right Leone. Drive to the Diner on third. Big diner, with a fluorescent sign -a good place- try the chili. There should be a car there, a blue ford. In the trunk is everything you asked for. Keep the car." Ciprino gave in, slowly explaining the situation. Leone seemed like a great weight was released from his shoulders, and sighed before beginning to shake his head rapidly.
"Thanks, thanks so much Mr. Ciprino. I really appreciate it, you don't know how much I..." Guido trailed off as he shook Ciprino's hand. In it was the key to the car. The key was transferred during the shake.
"Thanks. Really thanks."
"This better not come back to bite me in the ass kid!" Ciprino snarled, as Leone made his way to the door.
"It won't, I swear," the kid shouted as he exited the door. What in god's name does a kid like that need with those kinds of weapons? Ciprino thought to himself. A sale is a sale, but something just didn't seem right about this kid. He strolled over to his desk and sat his obese backside into his leather chair. He pressed the red button under his desk. Within moments two of his men came in through a different door. They were well dressed, in dark back suits, black ties, and their black hair was slicked back with grease. Dark sunglasses hid their eyes.
"Follow Leone. I want to see what this kid's up too." Ciprino grunted. The two men nodded, and headed out the door Leone had exited. What could he possibly be up to?
* * * * *
Nightwing glared down, waiting for the guy to come out. It was icy cold in Gotham, the chilly breeze blowing through the air. Nightwing didn't move though. He just stared in the direction of the factory, waiting for something to happen. Completely still. He'd learned how to do that a long time ago. Three months he'd been following this guy. Collecting powerful arms all over the city. Very strange. He was just collecting them and storing them. But there was something else. And that's why he needed to be followed. He must be storing up these weapons for some kind of a delivery. The creaky brown door on the north side of the factory swung open with a bang. Leone looked around suspiciously, his beady eyes darting to and fro, making sure no one was watching him. Three months now. Well at least it means I'm doing a good job, Nightwing thought to himself.
Leone walked over to his junky blue Nissan Sentra and opened the passenger door, sliding in.
"An arms deal going down?" came a familiar female voice from behind him.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Nightwing snapped hostilely. Great. This was all I need, he thought to himself. Batgirl walked up next to him and stared down at Leone's car. Through the tinted window it was still obvious he was waiting for the heat to warm up. Good luck in that car buddy, Nightwing thought again. He kept his thoughts on the situation, trying to ignore Babs. What was she doing here?
"Well bit my head off, why don't you?" she snapped angrily. "Believe me, hanging out with you isn't my ideal idea of a Friday night either. I'm doing Bruce a favor," she continued to explain. He didn't respond. He was ignoring her. She did likewise, and stared down at the car. It revved up and took off, tires screeching into the night. Nightwing stood up and prepared his "wings".
"Just stay out of my way," he snarled, as he leapt off, into the darkness, gliding down to the street bellow. Batgirl readied a batgrapple, and fired it off, flying into the night herself.
* * * * *
"I'm bored," Robin muttered as he kicked his legs into the air. Batman didn't move.
"Hopefully I don't need to remind you that a lack of criminal activity is a good thing," Batman said darkly.
"Then let's go home. There's some good TV on tonight," Robin remarked. Batman didn't buy it.
"Not with the Joker on the loose."
"He's not going to make his move yet," Robin insisted. But he certainly wasn't going to convince Batman otherwise. He stood up and walked across the ledge, looking down at the busy cars going about their business. Robin spat over the edge, and watched carefully to see if he hit anyone. Rats. He turned to Batman.
"Hey, you think if I drop a penny it might kill someone down there?" Robin questioned. Batman didn't move. "Geez, I'm just joking man. You really should loosen up a little," Robin murmured more to himself then to anyone. We walked back over to Batman.
"You think Nightwing will be mad that you sent Barb over to check out that guy he's been watching?"
"I don't really care if Nightwing is mad," Batman responded coldly. Robin nodded his head in understanding and looked down at the street again. He'd known Batman for a few years now, but he still didn't really know him at all. He looked back up and studied Batman's face, mostly hidden by his dark cowl. What was really scary was that this wasn't really his alter ego. This was his identity.
* * * * *
Leone looked in his rear-view mirror for the twelfth time. Crap. They were following him. He pressed his foot on the gas just a little harder and cut in front of the car ahead of him. Definitely following him. He sped up, and watched carefully as the two black cars with smoked mirrors did likewise. Crap. He headed up and turned right onto Third Street. He glanced in the rear view mirror, and watched as the two cars did the same thing. Crap.
His forehead glistened with a newly formed sweat, which he nervously mopped with a rag. What did they want? Did Ciprino just want to know what he wanted the guns for...? Or was he sending them to take the guns back. Either way this was bad. Very, very bad. He looked out through the windshield, and pulled into the large parking lot of the diner. His car and the ford were the only ones within a mile. He pulled up right next to it, and opened the door slowly, observing the two cars. They were careful not to pull into the lot after him. One of them stopped into the deli parking lot across the street. The other drove by slowly.
Oh god, what should I do? He walked over to the Ford, and fumbled with the key Ciprino had given him before popping open the trunk. The rifles- the explosives, all there. Everything seemed to be in order. Certainly nothing alarming. He eyed one of the rifles thoughtfully. There was no one around... Maybe he could make sure that these guys didn't interfere after all...
* * * * *
Nightwing watched as the guy glanced back and forth between the trunk and the cars across the street.
"Oh no. He's going to try and kill them," Nightwing murmured to himself. He knew Barbara was thinking the same thing, just by the look on her face. He raised himself out of his sitting position as Leone lifted the AK-47 out of the trunk and opened fire at the first of the cars. It stopped dead in its tracks with a small screech before the driver emptied out of the car, and toting a gun of his own, returned fire. The bullets exploded through the crisp, dead night, tearing across the street. Nightwing moved quickly.
He ripped through the air feet first. The thug looked up seconds to late, because with a loud crack, Nightwing's kick sent him to the ground, out cold. Nightwing looked over to the second car, where the second thug was out cold also, Batgirl sinking into the shadows. He turned his full attention to Leone, who stood in a state of shock.
"It's okay. I know you were just defending yourself," Nightwing lied as he called across the street, sinking into the shadows himself. If I didn't think he were part of something much bigger, I'd take pleasure in beating him to a pulp. Nightwing disappeared into the shadows and mounted his bike as he watched a confused Leone step into the car. Great. Just great. Could have been worse though, he could have opened fire on you, Nightwing thought to himself. He wished Barb would have stayed away, but in this situation he didn't mind... He waited for Leone to pull out of the parking lot before quietly following at a distance. Damn.
* * * * *
The Clown Prince of Crime pranced across the floor of the abandoned apartment building with his typical wide ruby red grin stretched across his face. He was in a good mood. The Joker made his way over to his desk and looked over his latest plan. It was perfect. From every aspect. It would work, he knew it would. He'd studied Batman's mind. He knew the way he thought, how he'd react, and how he went about dealing with situations just like this. There was no conceivable way this could fail.
Except that it did. Last week. Joker grabbed the plans and tore them to shreds with a twisted frown, tossing the pieces all about him. Well at least he was still free. That was always a perk.
"Oh Puddin'!" came Harley Quinn from the other room in her sexiest voice. Joker ignored her with a contorted frown as he looked over his things. "Puddin', I have a surprise for you!" she continued to call.
"And what would that be, sweetums?" he answered in an unenthusiastic monotone as he looked through his blueprints. Batman, always Batman, he thought to himself. Another caper he'd walked away from was another caper Joker had failed. And to make matters worse, he was short on cash. Not enough to carry out any more lame plans that Batman would foil... He needed something fresh, something original, and something that would make old Batsy think about it... If he survived at all...
"Puddin', how about you come in here and have an ice cream sundae?" Harley teased with a giggle. Joker answered without shifting his train of thought.
"Not now poo, I'm busy," he remarked.
"Oh, but Puddin' I got all gooey for nothing!" Harley called from the other room, with more than a hint of disappointment. Joker ignored her. He needed to get inside Batman's head. Play some mind games and mess him up, and just when he wasn't expecting in...
Harley came back into the room wearing a nightie. She looked bummed out, but the Joker didn't notice. He didn't look up from his desk. Harley hated it when he was all wrapped up in plotting things. He was no fun. She danced around in front of his desk, and knocked one of his papers off on purpose. He bent over to pick it up, hoping to get a response. She came up with the paper gleefully. No response. She began to hop up and down, jiggling her breasts, hoping to get a response. No reaction. She frowned and looked down at the papers he was looking at. It seemed so uninteresting. But wait... What was that? She picked up one of the papers on the desk and studied it carefully.
"What's this Mistah Jay?" she asked curiously. Joker looked up angrily and snatched the paper away.
"Give me that!" he snarled. He looked the paper over, and suddenly a strange look came over his face, one Harley had never seen before.
"Did you think I forgot? Yeah, right. I'm back, and you're first on my list. -PHANTASM"
